Meaning 1: to manage to get rid of something or someone that is bothering you, making you suffer, etc.

Example 1:Despite staying at home, taking lots of vitamin C and drinking lots of liquids, Judith has not been able to throw off her horrible cold (catarro). I hope she feels better soon.

Example 2:Sometimes when I go to bed at night, I am unable to throw off my worries, and I can't get to sleep.

Meaning 2: to quickly and carelessly remove a piece of clothing.

Example 3:She came in from the rain and threw off her wet coat.

If you have any questions about today's Daily Vitamin, please post them in the Daily Vitamin Plus! forum section on our website (www.ziggurat.es). Remember that tomorrow we will send the Essential Weekly Vitamindesigned for Spanish-speaking students of English.

Meaning: to admit that you have been defeated or have failed, and to stop trying.

Apparently, this phrase comes from boxing, since a fighter indicates surrender by throwing a towel into the boxing ring.

Example 1:Despite losing the election, John McCain has not thrown in the towelon his political career. He will continue to serve in the US Senate.

Example 2:Due to the company filing for bankruptcy, the union was forced to throw in the towel and settle their dispute with the company.

If you have any questions about today's Daily Vitamin, please don't throw in the towel trying to understand...just post your questions in the Daily Vitamin Plus! forum section on our website (www.ziggurat.es).

We have received another interesting question from Belén and Christian, two Ziggurat students who are currently studying English abroad. Today's question is much easier than the differences between Rise, Arise and Raise. Here is their newest question.

Both learned and learnt are different forms of the past tense and past participle of the verb TO LEARN. The basic difference between these two alternative spellings is that learned is more common in US English and learnt is more common in UK English. However, depending on the dialect, you can see variation. (For example, a Canadian friend of mine says he uses both.)

There are other verbs that act the same way. Again, the -ed version of these past tense or past participle forms is more common in the US and the -t ending is more common in the UK. All of the following verbs are irregular.

Example 1 (UK):I've been studying English for 10 years and I feel like I haven't learnta thing.

Example 2 (US):I've been studying English for 10 years and I feel like I haven't learned a thing.

So, Belén and Christian, if a native speaker told you there is a subtle difference between these two, but they couldn't explain this difference, it's probably because there really isn't much of a difference. That's how languages are...they are constantly evolving and changing. Maybe you've discovered a linguistic change in motion. ;-)

If you have any questions about the content of today's Daily Vitamin, please post them in the Daily Vitamin Plus! forum section on our website (www.ziggurat.es).